BALLINDERRY, a parish, in the barony of UPPER MASSAREENE, county of ANTRIM, and province of ULSTER, 31/2 miles (N.) from Moira; containing 5356 inhabitants.

At Portmore, an extensive castle was erected by Lord Conway, in 1664, on the site of a more ancient fortress; it contained accommodation for two troops of horse, with a range of stabling 140 feet in length, 35 feet in breadth, and 40 feet in height; the remains consist only of the ancient garden wall, part of the stables, and the ruins of one of the bastions. During the Protectorate the learned Jeremy Taylor retired to this place, and remained at the seat of Lord Conway till the Restoration, when he was promoted to the bishoprick of Down and Connor. On a small island in the lough are still some remains of a summer-house, in which he is said to have written some of the most important of his works, and in the neighbourhood his memory is still held in great respect. The parish is situated on the road from Antrim to Dublin, and is intersected by the mail coach road from Lurgan to Antrim; it comprises, according to the Ordnance Survey, 10,891 statute acres, of which 283 1/2 are in Portmore Lough. The land is almost all arable and in a good state of cultivation; the system of tillage is improving. There is little or no waste land; in the north-east and south-west parts of the parish are some valuable bogs. The weaving of linen and cotton affords employment to a considerable number of persons, but the greater number of the inhabitants are engaged in agriculture. The Lagan canal from Lough Neagh, on the north-west, to Belfast passes within the distance of a mile. The parish is within the jurisdiction of the manorial court of Killultagh held at Lisburn.

The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Connor,and in the patronage of the Marquess of Hertford, in whom the rectory is impropriate; the tithes amount to £480, of which £400 is paid to the vicar, and £80 to the impropriator. The church was erected in 1827, through the exertions of Dean Stannus, at an expense of £2200, of which the Marquess of Hertford gave £1000, and the late Board of First Fruits the remainder; it is a handsome edifice, in the later style of English architecture, with a tower and spire 128 feet in height, and is beautifully situated on rising ground near the small village of Upper Ballinderry. There is a glebe of eight acres, but no glebe house.

In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Aughagallon and Ballinderry : the chapel is a small building.

There is a place of worship for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod of Ulster, of the third class; also a Moravian meeting house.

In addition to the parochial school, there are schools at Lower Ballinderry, Killultagh, and Legartariffe; all, except the last, were built within the last ten years, chiefly through the benevolent exertions of Dean Stannus, at an expense of £600; they are well conducted, and will accommodate 300 children; there are also several private pay schools. ?? Murray, Esq., bequeathed £100 British; J. Moore Johnston, Esq., £83. 6sh. 8d. ; and Hugh Casement, Esq., £25 Irish currency, to the poor of the parish.

The old parish church, which was built after the Restoration of Chas. II., still remains; and on the eastern side of it is a burial-place, called Templecormack, in the centre of which the foundations of a small building may be traced. There are also some remains of an ancient church close to Portmore Lough, at the western extremity of the parish, The manor of Killultagh gives the title of Baron Conway of Killultagh to the Seymour family.

Place

Ballinderry

County

Derry, Londonderry

Parish

Ballinderry

Content

BALLINDERRY, or BALLYDERRY, a parish, partly in the barony of DUNGANNON, county of TYRONE, but chiefly in the barony of LOUGHINSHOLIN, county of LONDONDERRY, and province of ULSTER, 7 miles (S. E. by E.) from Moneymore; containing 3163 inhabitants.

This parish is situated on the Ballinderry river, which here separates the above-named baronies and counties, and falls into the north-western portion of Lough Neagh. It comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 8177 statute acres, of which 2268.50 are in the county of Tyrone, and 5908.50 are in Londonderry ; 2978 acres form a portion of Lough Neagh. The greater part belongs to the Salters' Company, of London; part belongs to the see of Derry; and some of the lands are held under Cromwellian debentures, and are the only lands in the county of Londonderry, west of the river Bann, that are held by that tenure. A castle was built by the Salters' Company at Salterstown, in 1615, soon after they had obtained the grant of those lands from Jas. I.; and in the insurrection of 1641 it was surprised by Sir Phelim O'Nial, who put all the inmates to death, with the exception of the keeper, who, with his wife and family, effected their escape to Carrickfergus, where, taking refuge in the church, they were finally starved to death. It continued for some time in the possession of the insurgents, who, being ultimately driven from their post, destroyed it, together with the church adjoining. Nearly the whole of the land is arable and under an excellent system of cultivation; a valuable tract of bog produces excellent fuel, and there is no waste land.

There are several large and well-built houses in the parish; but the only seat is Ballyronan, that of J. Gaussen, Esq.

The inhabitants combine with agricultural pursuits the weaving of linen and cotton cloth; and at Ballyronan an extensive distillery has been lately established by Messrs Gaussen, situated on the shore of Lough Neagh, close to the little port of Ballyronan.

The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Armagh, and in the patronage of the Lord-Primate : the tithes amount to £192 6s. 2d. The church, a large edifice in the later English style of architecture, was erected in 1707. The glebe-house, nearly adjoining, was built at an expense of £980, of which £100 was a gift from the late Board of First Fruits, in 1795: the glebe comprises 413 acres of well cultivated arable land.

The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church; there is a chapel at Ballylifford, and at Derryaghrin is an altar in the open air.

Near the church is a place of worship for Wesleyan Methodists.

The parochial school, in which are about 40 boys and 20 girls, is aided by a donation of £10 per annum from the rector; and there are three Sunday schools, one of which is held in the R, C. chapel, and three daily pay schools, in which are about 80 children.

The ruins of the castle at Salterstown, situated on the margin of the lake, present a picturesque and interesting appearance, but are fast mouldering away. Adjoining the bridge over the river are the remains of an ancient iron forge, erected by the Salters' Company in 1626, but which soon after fell into disuse. At Salterstown, near the site of the old church and close to the shore of Lough Neagh, is a chalybeate spring, which has been found efficacious in cutaneous disorders, and was formerly much resorted to; but having become mixed with other water, its efficacy is greatly diminished. At Ballyronan is a large ancient fortress in good preservation.

Place

Ballinderry

County

Tyrone

Parish

Ballinderry

Content

BALLINDERRY, or BALLYDERRY, a parish, partly in the barony of DUNGANNON, county of TYRONE, but chiefly in the barony of LOUGHINSHOLIN, county of LONDONDERRY, and province of ULSTER, 7 miles (S. E. by E.) from Moneymore; containing 3163 inhabitants.

This parish is situated on the Ballinderry river, which here separates the above-named baronies and counties, and falls into the north-western portion of Lough Neagh. It comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 8177 statute acres, of which 2268.50 are in the county of Tyrone, and 5908.50 are in Londonderry ; 2978 acres form a portion of Lough Neagh. The greater part belongs to the Salters' Company, of London; part belongs to the see of Derry; and some of the lands are held under Cromwellian debentures, and are the only lands in the county of Londonderry, west of the river Bann, that are held by that tenure. A castle was built by the Salters' Company at Salterstown, in 1615, soon after they had obtained the grant of those lands from Jas. I.; and in the insurrection of 1641 it was surprised by Sir Phelim O'Nial, who put all the inmates to death, with the exception of the keeper, who, with his wife and family, effected their escape to Carrickfergus, where, taking refuge in the church, they were finally starved to death. It continued for some time in the possession of the insurgents, who, being ultimately driven from their post, destroyed it, together with the church adjoining. Nearly the whole of the land is arable and under an excellent system of cultivation; a valuable tract of bog produces excellent fuel, and there is no waste land.

There are several large and well-built houses in the parish; but the only seat is Ballyronan, that of J. Gaussen, Esq.

The inhabitants combine with agricultural pursuits the weaving of linen and cotton cloth; and at Ballyronan an extensive distillery has been lately established by Messrs Gaussen, situated on the shore of Lough Neagh, close to the little port of Ballyronan.

The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Armagh, and in the patronage of the Lord-Primate : the tithes amount to £192 6s. 2d. The church, a large edifice in the later English style of architecture, was erected in 1707. The glebe-house, nearly adjoining, was built at an expense of £980, of which £100 was a gift from the late Board of First Fruits, in 1795: the glebe comprises 413 acres of well cultivated arable land.

The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church; there is a chapel at Ballylifford, and at Derryaghrin is an altar in the open air.

Near the church is a place of worship for Wesleyan Methodists.

The parochial school, in which are about 40 boys and 20 girls, is aided by a donation of £10 per annum from the rector; and there are three Sunday schools, one of which is held in the R, C. chapel, and three daily pay schools, in which are about 80 children.

The ruins of the castle at Salterstown, situated on the margin of the lake, present a picturesque and interesting appearance, but are fast mouldering away. Adjoining the bridge over the river are the remains of an ancient iron forge, erected by the Salters' Company in 1626, but which soon after fell into disuse. At Salterstown, near the site of the old church and close to the shore of Lough Neagh, is a chalybeate spring, which has been found efficacious in cutaneous disorders, and was formerly much resorted to; but having become mixed with other water, its efficacy is greatly diminished. At Ballyronan is a large ancient fortress in good preservation.